RICHMOND — There was a lengthy list of reasons why the Richmond High School softball team might have overlooked fourthseeded Greenville on Friday in the Western Maine Class D semifinals.

With a start time of 2 p.m., and most of the team’s schoolmates released to watch the game, the stands were filled to the brim on the Bobcats’ side of the field. There were also Friday night graduation parties scheduled, with graduation set for Saturday. Quite frankly, plenty was on the players’minds.

The Bobcats, the top seed looking for another trip to the regional finals, put all that aside, waking up from a slow start to pull away late for a 7-1 victory.

Richmond (15-1) will face No. 2 Rangeley in the Western D final at St. Joseph’s College Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., while Greenville finished the season 9-7.

Longtime Richmond coach Rick Coughlin felt the team’s leadership of Danica Hurley, Lindsy Hoopingarner and Leandra Martin kept the Bobcats focused despite all of the distractions.

“The leadership we have is phenomenal, and the team listens to them,” said Richmond coach Rick Coughlin. “They got them ready to go, and even though we came out a little bit slow at the plate, we were able to keep things together, put the bat on the ball and run a little bit.”

A nice running catch by center fielder Noell Acord, a spot-on throw by catcher Hoopingarner to nab Greenville base runner Lindsey Fenn at third base in a still narrow 2-1 game in the fifth inning, and a grab of a long flyball by left fielder Payton Johnson, were the highlights in the field for Richmond.

“It took us until the fifth inning to really get it going at the plate, but our defense kept us in the lead,” said Coughlin. “Greenville hit the ball. They’re a good club, but they had trouble handling our base running, and we tried to be more aggressive as the game went on.”

Tie game

Richmond jumped on top in the first inning, as lead-off hitter Hurley bunted her way on, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brianna Snedeker, and scored on a bunt by Hoopingarner.

Greenville struck right back, using infield singles by Courtney Mann and Kaylee Worman, along with an error, to tie the game. Martin also walked No. 9 hitter Fenn (1- for-1, two walks) to load the bases, but retired Holly Hersey on a groundball to end the threat.

The Bobcats took the lead for good in the second inning. Alyssa Pearson, who was 2- for-3, singled to begin the frame. A fielder’s choice was followed by an RBI double by Acord just inside the rightfield line.

“We just didn’t have the bats going early, but we were lucky enough to get a runner on and get her home,” said Acord, whose sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning helped the Bobcats build a 3-1 lead.

Greenville pitcher Molly Foley wasn’t overpowering, picking up just two strikeouts in her complete-game effort. But, she retired seven Bobcats in a row to keep the game close, getting two big plays from outfielders Olivia Bouchard and Jasmine Senatus.

In the home half of the fifth inning, Johnson reached on an error. After Acord’s sacrifice bunt and Johnson’s hustle in advancing all the way to third on the play, a wild pitch made it 3-1. Jamie Plummer kept things going with a single, and Hurley’s bunt single and a throwing error allowed Plummer to score for a 4-1 Richmond lead.

The Bobcats put things away in the sixth. An error, Pearson single, RBI fielder’s choice by Martin, and an RBI by Plummer (2-for-3) completed the scoring and Richmond’s 7-1 win.

“We want to go back to states. It means everything to be going back to the regional again,” said Acord, whose squad will face Rangeley (a 4- 3 winner over No. 3 Buckfield in the other Western D semifinal), the only team to defeat the Bobcats this season. “We are up for the challenge, knowing if Rangeley is on, they can be very tough to beat.”

Martin earned the mound win, allowing six hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

No. 1 Richmond 7,
No. 4 Greenville 1

Western Maine Class D Softball Semifinal At Richmond
Greenville — 010 000 0 — 1-6-3
Richmond — 110 023 x — 7-7-2
Molly Foley and Lindsey Fenn; Leandra
Martin and Lindsy Hoopingarner.
Double — (R) Noell Acord.
Repeat hitters — (G) Kaylee Worman;
(R) Danica Hurley, Alyssa Pearson.
Records — Richmond 15-1, Greenville
9-7.
Next for the Bobcats — Wednesday at
St. Joseph’s College in Standish against
No. 2 Rangeley in the Western Maine
Class D Championship, 7:30 p.m.